Dealing with angry neighbors

Drumbo

Junior Member
Ive been playing for about 3 years now, about half a year in i got a bunch of complaints from one neighbor, so my perants spent a bunch of money on soundproofing and i further limited the time i played drums (1.00-8.00 to 1.00 - 5.00pm).

This worked for a while, no complains from these guys but we got 3 voice-mails over 2 days about a week ago saying that the guy had been driven domented by the drumming, that it was "anti-social behavior" ect and that if we dont "do somthing about it" they will call the police.

We are putting the kit on a platform and getting further soundproofing in my stables (where the kit is) but this is not enough for him, him and his wife basically dont want to hear anything ever and if they do they threaten to phone the police.

Ive had no problems from other neighbors, nearly all that ive spoken to about it were actually supportive but now im trying to find out what happens if they phone the police, are there any laws against it or anything? (im in Scotland so the laws will be from here)

Also any tips on soundproofing would be apprechiated, other than getting a electric kit.
 
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Doesn't matter where you live or what the law is.
If someone keeps on complaining the police will try to shut you down by eventually arresting you for a minor charge like disorderly conduct or the like.
If you can't resolve the issue with your neighbor you will find yourself in court at some point.
 
but now im trying to find out what happens if they phone the police,

Nothing. Let 'em call.

Yes there are local noise ordinance laws in every area and as long as you are not breaching those, you are free to play your drums. You are making "reasonable" efforts to minimise your impact on neighbours and playing within "reasonable" hours. Discuss this with the police when they show up and I'll bet London to a brick they'll chalk it up to unreasonable requests from one crochety old couple. For them to expect to "basically dont want to hear anything ever" is not realistic, nor is it feasible.

Me, I'd try and talk to the old couple. Let them know the steps I've taken to try and compromise and accomodate them. Come to an arrangement that way......but I'd also be firm and let them know there's no way in hell they can demand total silence. That just ain't gonna happen.

Doesn't matter where you live or what the law is.
If someone keeps on complaining the police will try to shut you down by eventually arresting you for a minor charge like disorderly conduct or the like.
If you can't resolve the issue with your neighbor you will find yourself in court at some point.

Not in my country Bob. It simply wouldn't happen. Just as the laws are designed to protect against the dimwit who fires up the stereo until ungodly hours every night. They are also in place to ensure that people can go about their business without fear of unreasonable requests from neighbours with an axe to grind.

If you are taking reasonable steps to minimise your impact within the times set out in the noise ordinance, you're gonna be covered. Regardless of how often they whinge.
 
I agree with pockets. Outline for them that you've spent thousands of dollars and tons of your time installing sound dampers and even working out times when you should be able to rock.

If they still choose to be unreasonable, let them call. When the police arrive, show them what you have done to minimize your impact as a drummer, and I'm sure there will be no real problem. You can download decibel meters for smartphones that do a passable job making sure there's no real problem with the laws in your area, which you should research.
 
be pre-emptive - you phone the cops first and ask them for advice on your local laws in regards to noise. you will be surprised but noise law actually favours us drummers in the vast majority of regions. also look it up on line.

buy electric drums. or use mutes on your kit for the first and last 20% of your practice time (warm up and cool down).

j
 
from scotlands gov website:

  1. These provisions are contained within sections 41 to 54 of Part 5 of the Act. If an officer of the local authority considers that the noise being emitted from a dwelling exceeds, or may exceed, the relevant permitted noise level, as measured from a relevant place, the officer may issue a Warning Notice under section 44. Where that Warning Notice is not complied with, within the stated time period, the person responsible for the noise will have committed an offence under section 45. The Officer may then issue a Fixed Penalty Notice, as described in section 46. The permitted noise levels will be determined by order from the Scottish Ministers. Recent research (McKell, 2004) has identified the objectively measured day, evening and night time permitted noise levels. The time periods and corresponding permitted noise levels have been defined as follows:-
  2. Daytime 07.00 - 19.00 hours L Aeq 41dB
  • Evening 19.00 - 23.00 hours L Aeq 37dB
  • Night-time 23.00 - 07.00 hours L Aeq 31dB.
those decible levels are as they would be heard on your neighbour's property.

for more visit:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/10/20151/45700
 
I have had some totally unreasonable neighbors before, they expected total silence from their neighbors but thought they could make all the noise they wanted, example, their barking dogs and when their little grandkids came over they would literally scream to the top of their lungs for two hours in their backyard along with the dogs barking. I let it go because of my drums and soundproofed the best I could and only played during the day. One day I just started practicing and and got this banging on my door like the Police or something, I open the door and its the old woman telling me I simply cannot do that anymore because it was disturbing them and it was illegal, I tried to be reasonable but quite simply if I did not agree to stop playing all together she would call the Police, So I said go right ahead and I will call them the next time your dogs bark for hours on end or call the Police when your grandchildren are outside screaming and she said "thats what kids and dogs do" and I said well this is what drums do and shut the door in her face and went back to practicing. I quit after an hour or so and called the Police myself and asked what the local noise ordnance was, turns out in my area practicing the drums, as long as I made an effort to conceal the noise as best I could and between certain hours was perfectly legal. She had already called the Police and they told her there was nothing they could do. One the other hand dogs barking was totally illegal so I complained on her.
Where I live now the noise ordnance is anything that is bothering anyone else, So far I have had no complaints.
My advise is beat them and call yourself and find out what exactly is in your areas noise ordnance, they will differ from town to town. If the noise ordnance does not include playing drums then tell them about the problems you are having with your neighbor. Try and reason with your neighbors but in some cases, like mine, you just have to be a d**k.
 
The only dealing I have had was with a cop driving by at 10 miles an hour in the middle of the street. That is about 30 feet from my kit. Here is what I have to deal with.

§ 132.03 PROHIBITED NOISES.
(A) Loud noises prohibited. No person shall make, continue, or cause to be made or continued any loud, raucous, improper, unreasonable, offensive, or unusual noise which disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of others within the city.
(B) Prohibited noises. The following acts, among others, are declared to be loud, raucous, or disturbing noises in violation of this section, but such enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:
(1) The sounding of any horn or signaling device on any motor vehicle on any street or public place except as a danger warning; the creation by means of any such signaling device of any unreasonably loud and raucous sound; and any such signaling device for an unreasonable period of time. The use of any signaling device except one operated by hand, electricity, or automatically when a vehicle is in reverse; the use of any horn, whistle, or other device operated by engine exhaust; and the use of any such signaling device when traffic is for any reason held up.
(2) Using, operating, or permitting to be played, used, or operated, any radio receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph, or other machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet, and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants or at any time louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing for the person who is in the room, vehicle, or chamber in which such machine or device is operated, and who is a voluntary listener. The operation of any such set, instrument, phonograph, machine, or device, in such a manner as to be plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the building, structure, or vehicle in which it is located shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section.


More here:

noise.
(11) Any noise that exceeds a noise level of 83 dB(A) based on a distance from the noise source of not less 15 feet or any noise that can be heard more than 50 feet from its source and is inherently obnoxious or patently offensive shall be prima facie evidence of a noise prohibited by this section. Noise that creates less decibels than 83 dB(A) from 15 feet also constitutes noise prohibited by this section if such noise otherwise constitutes a prohibited noise stated in this section. Further, there is not any decibel measurement requirement to prove the existence of a noise prohibited by this section.
(C) No person shall keep any animal, other than a service animal lawfully used by a handicapped person to accommodate his/her handicap, which, by causing frequent or long-continuing noise that is audible 50 feet or more from its source when the animal is on public property or 50 feet or more outside of a private property line when the animal is on private property, does disturb the comfort or repose of any other person.
(Ord. 6187, passed 4-9-01)

Here is the source:

http://www.cityofkokomo.org/SiteImages/FileGallery/title13_64.pdf
 
The reason why the police eventually make an arrest is to get the case to court.
The cops get tired of responding to a repeated domestic complaint.
When the case goes to court a judge rules and the complaints usually stop.
If the complaining neighbors are elderly or well known in the community the court ruling can sometimes be swayed in the complaining neighbors favor.
Welcome to the real world.
 
Welcome to the real world.

A trumped up noise ordinance violation is not real world mate. I'll wager there's enough real world crime for even the most bored copper to concern himself with....no matter where you live. I'm sure they get tired of responding to unreasonable requests, in fact I know they do, so in the end they just don't. "Nothing we can do" is the more common response from our local constabulary......not jamming someone up for not breaking the law in the first place.
 
The cops are so busy with other crimes on the Gold Coast you're lucky if they turn up even for a valid complaint, much less crotchety old neighbours with nothing better to do!
You've done everything you possibly can reduce noise and I doubt very much it would become a court issue unless these are particularly nasty people with money to waste on pursuing frivolous complaints!
 
A trumped up noise ordinance violation is not real world mate. I'll wager there's enough real world crime for even the most bored copper to concern himself with....no matter where you live. I'm sure they get tired of responding to unreasonable requests, in fact I know they do, so in the end they just don't. "Nothing we can do" is the more common response from our local constabulary......not jamming someone up for not breaking the law in the first place.

Unfortunately it's not that cut and dry, EVEN in Australia. Cops came to my house a couple months back and told me that as the neighbour had complained it was my responsibility to make sure I wasn't disturbing anyone.

I put on a performance for them, pointed out that the street noise from the major road that runs next to our respective houses is almost as loud as my drums, gave them my practice schedule (1 - 4 every arvo) and yet they informed me that if they got called again I could expect a $500 fine.

In this case they were saying there was nothing they could to do to help me, not nothing they could do to help the neighbour. It was very frustrating.

Drumbo, best advice is to go chat to the neighbours. Get someone with a passive personality who won't get angry to go with you (my dad helped me out). Explain what you want out of it and tell them you're willing to make concessions, whether that means practicing for an hour and taking a 30 minute break, or spending half your practice time with pads, or even choosing to practice at a different time. It's a pain in the arse but it's a better long term option.
 
That's the real world oops.
The police fine you and its your problem to fight in court.
They know that most people will stop pissing off the neighbors to avoid a fine.
 
Ive been playing for about 3 years now, about half a year in i got a bunch of complaints from one neighbor, so my perants spent a bunch of money on soundproofing and i further limited the time i played drums (1.00-8.00 to 1.00 - 5.00pm).

This worked for a while, no complains from these guys but we got 3 voice-mails over 2 days about a week ago saying that the guy had been driven domented by the drumming, that it was "anti-social behavior" ect and that if we dont "do somthing about it" they will call the police.

We are putting the kit on a platform and getting further soundproofing in my stables (where the kit is) but this is not enough for him, him and his wife basically dont want to hear anything ever and if they do they threaten to phone the police.

Ive had no problems from other neighbors, nearly all that ive spoken to about it were actually supportive but now im trying to find out what happens if they phone the police, are there any laws against it or anything? (im in Scotland so the laws will be from here)

Also any tips on soundproofing would be apprechiated, other than getting a electric kit.

You're mentioned a lot about soundproofing, but unless I missed it, are you doing anything to modify your behavior andplaying style? Like, playing with rutes, brushes, muffled drums? In addition to sound proofing, you can also produce less sound.
 
this .....​
These provisions are contained within sections 41 to 54 of Part 5 of the Act. If an officer of the local authority considers that the noise being emitted from a dwelling exceeds, or may exceed, the relevant permitted noise level, as measured from a relevant place, the officer may issue a Warning Notice under section 44. Where that Warning Notice is not complied with, within the stated time period, the person responsible for the noise will have committed an offence under section 45. The Officer may then issue a Fixed Penalty Notice, as described in section 46. The permitted noise levels will be determined by order from the Scottish Ministers. Recent research (McKell, 2004) has identified the objectively measured day, evening and night time permitted noise levels. The time periods and corresponding permitted noise levels have been defined as follows:-
Daytime 07.00 - 19.00 hours L Aeq 41dB
Evening 19.00 - 23.00 hours L Aeq 37dB
Night-time 23.00 - 07.00 hours L Aeq 31dB.
.... is what you need to deal with.​
Everyone elses story's, living in different towns, cities, countries, continents ..... don't really matter. NJ found your local noise codes. Those are your parameters. What you have is a "pissy" neighbor. They don't like your drums, but what if it was your Harley, your tractor, your lawnmower, your leaf blower, weed wacker, chainsaw, whatever. Follow the law, that's it. You're either in compliance, or out.​
 

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Doesn't matter where you live or what the law is.
If someone keeps on complaining the police will try to shut you down by eventually arresting you for a minor charge like disorderly conduct or the like.
If you can't resolve the issue with your neighbor you will find yourself in court at some point.

That's not true.
Possibly, if it's in the middle of the night or in an apartment, otherwise not.
It's not disturbing public order. The police won't really care.
 
Dang dude that blows. It really makes me feel lucky to live in a neighborhood where nobody minds when I play, and I've got my drums in the basement with no soundproofing whatsoever.

It's been mentioned, but I'll reiterate, you could use muffling pads. They really suck to play on but they're cheap and they work. On the other end of the spectrum you could always get an electric kit but those aren't cheap at all.

I also agree with what has been said before as far as the police not being able to do anything if the noise level is reasonable, you've made an effort to reduce the noise, and aren't playing at stupid hours of the night or morning.

Side note: My neighbor across the street drag races, and when he starts up the car, it's thunderous, and everyone for about a 5 block radius can probably hear it lol, Nobody has ever complained, so if anyone did ever complain about noise he would be the first to take the heat lol.
 
The same neighbor probably uses a leaf blower at 8 am on Sunday morning.
 
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